Durkheim's functionalist theory Flashcards
1
Q
What are society’s 2 key mechanisms?
A
- Socialisation
2. Social control
2
Q
How do functionalists see crime as inevitable?
A
- 2 reasons why crime and deviance are found in all societies:
1. Not everyone is effectively socialised into the shared norms and values, so some individuals will be prone to deviate
2. In complex modern societies, there is a diversity of lifestyles and values
3
Q
Why, according to Durkheim, are modern societies becoming more normless (anomie)?
A
- Rules governing behaviour are becoming weaker and less clear cut
- Due to modern societies having a complex, specialised division of labour, which leads to individuals becoming increasingly different from one another
- This weakens the collective conscience and results in deviance
4
Q
What are the positive functions of crime for Durkheim?
A
- Boundary maintenance
- When a crime occurs, the condemnation of the criminal reinforces the commitment to the shared norms and values of the other citizens
- Done through the rituals of the courtroom, the media… - Adaptation and change
- All change starts with an act of deviance
- If new ideas are suppressed, society will stagnate and be unable to make necessary positive adaptations
5
Q
Other functions of crime
A
Davis (1937): prostitution can be a safety valve for men’s sexual frustration
- Polsky (1967): pornography safely ‘channels’ a variety of sexual desires away from adultery etc…
- Cohen: if there is crime, an institution isn’t working properly
- Erikson (1966): society is organised so as to promote deviance, the police exist to sustain a certain level of crime rather than to eliminate it
6
Q
Criticisms:
A
- No way to know how much is the right amount
- Just because crime strengthens solidarity doesn’t mean that’s why it exists in the first place
- Functionalists ignore how crime may affect different groups or individuals within society
- Doesn’t always promote solidarity- may lead to isolation
